


Lord Fluff Nelson, A Cat’s Tail

by John_Steiner



Series: The Napoleonic Wars, A Cat's Tail [1]
Category: alternative history with cats
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-01
Updated: 2020-02-01
Packaged: 2021-02-27 23:08:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 883
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22503799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/John_Steiner/pseuds/John_Steiner
Summary: The Napoleonic Wars rage, but the civilizations of the world are cats. Lord Fluff Nelson must finalize his decision to go outside in order to travel to a meeting with the Queen and discuss the coming war between England and the Chartreux cats of France.
Series: The Napoleonic Wars, A Cat's Tail [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1619101
Kudos: 2





	Lord Fluff Nelson, A Cat’s Tail

"That's it, Lord Sir!" Snuggles De Fronsac praised, while applying brushstrokes to canvas.

"How much longer shall this take?" Lord Fluff Nelson asked.

"I do apologize, Sir," Snuggles said, "But ze tone of gray for your coat must be just right. It differs ever so slightly from other grays on ze pallet for reasons unknown to cat kind. Also-- if I may be so bold, your twitch has made capturing ze right poise for your tail difficult."

"We've a war to fight, you understand," Fluff reminded.

"Yes, but not immediately outside," Snuggles replied, "Her Majesty very much wished to have zis ready prior to her meeting in ze parliament."

"At least I have these tufts on the curtains to admire," Fluff purred, "I do so wish to snatch one, as it were, and bat it around a bit."

"Zat would explain why half of zhem are missing," Snuggles remarked, and then added the finishing touch, "Zhere we are!"

Fluff took that to mean he could pad over to study the work, though noticed that Snuggles made darting pawing motions with his claws out. Snuggles then licked a flew loose hairs from his paw.

"Ah, yes," Fluff Nelson praised, "Very respectable. The Steward shall have your payment, my good man."

A Tabby in the corner of the room approached with a large shallow wooden chest. He opened it for Snuggles, whose whiskers twitched at the sight of so many cloth pouches.

"Ohh, ze wondrous variety!" Snuggles purred, and caught one with his claws out.

"A few nips were imports from India, so I do hope you enjoy them," Fluff said, "Also, we have the marble amount you requested, which shall be loaded onto your carriage."

Snuggles kneaded at the first pouch in his paws and was about to chew on it, when he remember that he was in sight of others, "Forgive me, Lord, ze temptation got to me."

Lord Fluff Nelson padded down stairs to the foyer and headed for the door. Another servant mewed in low tunes from a hunched position, "The weather is pleasant this morning, my Lord."

"That is good," Fluff answered, as the servant opened the door for him.

There, Fluff hesitated, turned thinking he might've forgot something. With a swash of his tail he dismissed the notion, and faced the door again. Yet, pausing a second time, he surveyed the grounds, unsure if he were really headed outside.

"With respect, Lord," the servant said, "The parliament isn't inside, so you'll need to go out to get there."

"Quite right," Fluff Nelson agreed, and in fits and starts stepped outside.

He boarded a carriage, and then cracked his cane against the ceiling to signal the driver. Passing through London, Fluff Nelson watched life's goings on. Serving cats carried boxed of soiled sand out to dump and be replaced with new sand. A mother pulled on one of her children's neck skin, when they darted after loose threads from another cat. Signs posted warned London residents to be on the lookout for dogs.

Eventually, Fluff arrived at 10 Downing Street. There, he passed off his cane and proceed to follow a servant, using his tail to wave Fluff to follow. Entering the House of Commons Chamber, Fluff noticed the queen pacing around alone. Columns of vertical carpet rose from the front of armrests, lest ministers tear at the chairs themselves. Strands and balls of fur were everywhere.

"Ah, I see session went as well as planned, You Majesty," Fluff cracked.

Her Majesty picked up a loose shard of a claw to inspect, and then tossed it aside, "Quite. Is the painting ready?"

Rather than immediately answer, Fluff Nelson dropped to all fours and flattened his ears. The queen trod toward him with her ears very much forward and her tail up, on contrast to his laying on the floor. She lowered her nose to within fractions of an inch of Fluff's nose, whereon he was allowed to make contact nose-to-nose and the two sniffed faintly.

Now permitted to rise, Fluff did so while pacing down the front of one set of chairs remarking on the less fur encrusted fabric, "It appears the Tories have gotten the upper hand."

"Yes, they have passed their resolution to continue our war with that street cat, Napoleon," Her Majesty agreed, "Short-haired breed like that, and he thinks he can rule France, let alone England."

"Detestable how someone with no pedigree rose to prominence," Fluff hissed with a flick of ears and darting tail sweep.

"I expect you, Lord Nelson to end this," Her Majesty growled, the fur on her tail and around her neck rising. "I want those alley cats to be afraid of me as they are of the water."

"Yes, You Majesty," Fluff Nelson mewed with sufficient submissiveness to signal that he knew her mood.

"Dismissed, Lord Nelson," Her Majesty purred, as he tail flitted in a departing wave.

Fluff flattened himself out on all fours again, before backing out from her presence. Once out of the chambers, he rose up and trotted lightly toward the front doors. There, as before, he fell into a conundrum of whether to leave, and did finally exit. He hopped up into the carriage and leaned out to inform the driver, "To the Admiralty with haste!"


End file.
